Making garden furniture winter-proof

"As the gardening year slowly comes to an end, it's time for winter preparations. When the leaves fall and the days become wetter and shorter, it's also time to take care of ensuring that your valuable garden furniture is made winter-proof in good time.

Of course, the best thing is if you can store your garden furniture in a dry place over the winter. In the garage, basement, and garden shed, they are known to be best protected from the harsh weather conditions such as UV radiation, water, and frost.

But even those who do not have ideal conditions available can still enjoy their garden furniture for many years with a few care measures."

"As always, the first step in all care measures is thorough cleaning. While you're freeing the furniture from the dust and dirt of summer, it's best to check right away that all parts are in order and secure. You can replace or tighten any loose screws and nails, and replace any damaged parts.

Then, you should subject both wooden and metal garden furniture to further care measures. Metal must be derusted with a wire brush, after which you can apply a so-called rust converter, which also serves as a primer. Once the surface, and especially the transitions, are nice and smooth with sandpaper, apply one or two coats of protective paint, depending on the quality of the existing paint."

"Wooden furniture undergoes a similar procedure. Here too, all loose layers of paint must be removed and the transitions sanded smooth if you want to apply a clear or colored protective coat. Only then should you apply the two coats.

All moving parts should be derusted and, above all, lubricated.

Noble woods like teak and olive, which have not been varnished, can be treated with special teak oil. This oil makes the wood resistant to rain and other weather influences and preserves its natural beauty.

Plastic furniture, especially the popular monobloc stacking chairs, tend to become brittle and cracked once their plasticizers have evaporated. Therefore, you should subject such chairs and armchairs to a particularly thorough inspection from the second year onwards to ensure the safety of your family and guests. After cleaning, plastic furniture should be treated with special plastic care products. This not only intensifies the color but also helps the plastic retain its stability for longer. Under a protective cover, the furniture can then wait for the next spring in a sheltered spot in your garden or on your patio."